During dark times, offer to God an act of hope

Hope in God means placing our trust in Christ’s promises and relying not on our own strength, but on the help of the grace of the Holy Spirit.

When the world appears to crumble around us, it can be easy to fall into despair. There remains little that brings us joy and we don’t know if anything good will ever happen again.

Yet, it is precisely during those dark times that we need to place our hope in God.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church describes hope as a “virtue,” explaining how it consists of “placing our trust in Christ’s promises and relying not on our own strength, but on the help of the grace of the Holy Spirit” (CCC 1817).

One way to foster hope within us is to frequently pray a short “act of hope” throughout the day. This calls upon the grace of God to flood our soul with a supernatural hope that will endure.

Here is an example of an act of hope, which can be memorized and prayed often.

My God, relying on your infinite mercy and goodness, and recognizing how you are always faithful to your promises, I place all my hope in you! My life is in your hands!